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(Np Model.) A 2 Sheets--Sheet;v 1.

U. J.- FRY &' G.-M. BASFORD. ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNAL APPARATUS. No.530,762. Pate nted Dec. 11, 1894.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

U..J. FRY 8v BASFORD. ELEGTRIGAL 121,001: SIGNAL APPARATUS.

No. 530,762. Patented Dec. 11, 1894'.

NITED STAT PATENT URIAS J. FRY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AND GEORGE M.BASFORD, OF

OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,

ELECTRICAL BLOCK-SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,762, dated December11, 1 894. Application filed July 5,1893. Serial No. 479,553- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, URIAS J. FRY, of Mil waukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, and GEORGE M. BASFORD, of

5 Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Block-Signal Apparatus;and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of 7 reference markedthereon, which form a part :5 of this specification.

The main object of our invention is to prevent a train from entering ablock or section in which there is another train, and for the attainmentof that object to provide simple,

2o inexpensive, efficient and durable apparatus.

It consists in certain peculiarities in the construction and arrangementof the component parts of the apparatus, hereinafter particularlydescribed and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts inthe several figures.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewillustrat 3o ing the application of ourimprovements to a double track railway; and Figs. 2 and 3 are detailviews on an enlarged scale of the automatic circuit breaker, and thesignal locking device.

Referring to Fig. 1, representing a portion of a double track railway,including two blocks or sections, A, B and O designate the three signalstations at the terminals of said blocks or sections.

0 with a suitable signal which governs the entrance of trains intotheadjacent block or section, means for manually operating the signal,an electrically controlled locking device by which the operation of thesignal is controlled from a distant station, a pole changing switch bywhich the locking device of a distant station is controlled, andsuitable electrical transmitting and receiving instruments electricallyconnected with a distant station at the opposite terminal of theadjacent block ments.

Each station is provided,

I or section, whereby the usual information and orders as to theentrance and passage of trains may be communicated from one station tothe other. I

The foregoing devices are duplicated in' 5 whole or in part at allintermediate stations located at and controlling the adjacent terminalsof adjoining blocks or sections. The stations at the terminals of theblock system are each provided with a single set of instru Theinstruments and their connections for each terminal of connected blocksor sections being the same, we will explain in detail only those of theintermed ate station B. r

D represents an ordinary semaphore arm or signal, which in one positiondenotes danger, and indicates to the engineer of an approaching trainthat he cannot enter the block or section in advance, or that said blockor section is occupied by another train, or blocked, and which inanother position denotes safety, and indicates to the engineer of theapproaching train that the block or section in advance is clear,.andthat his train .75 may enter the same.

E is a lever connected in the usual manner either directly or indirectlywith and afiording means for manually operating the signal.

F is a locking device, which automatically engages and locks said leverin position to hold the signal at danger, or to prevent its beingcleared except at the proper time. The semaphore arm is counterweightedin the usual way-so as to automatically carry it to danger when it isreleased, whether intentionally or accidentally.

f is an electro magnet, constituting a part of the locking deviceinclosed therewith, as shown in detail in Fig.3, so as to be in'ac- 9ocessible to the operator.

Gr is a magnet of the polarized type, provided with fixed and movablecontacts g g, which are connected by the wires f'f of a local'circuitwith the coils of magnetf. I 5

V The ordinary polarized relay, such as is commonly used in telegraphicapparatus may be employed to control the circuit in which the unlockingmagnet f is placed, and therefore a special instrument is not requiredfor the purpose. One terminal of the coils of magnet G is connected witha contact h of a switch H, and the other terminal with ground m.

I is a pole changing switch the movable arms of which are connected withopposite poles of a battery J.

K is a circuit controlling device, shown in detail in Fig. 2, attachedto the post of the semaphore arm D, and connected therewith in such amanner that the circuit will be broken when the semaphore arm is movedinto its clear or safety position, and closed when it is returned todanger position. It is placed in a loop or branch It, connected on oneside of said circuit controller with the contact h of the switch H, andon the other side with the contacts 2" and t of the switch I.

By locating the circuit controller K close to the signal with which itis connected, any failure in the intermediate connections between thesignal and its operating lever to return the signal to danger when thelever is thrown to that position, will be readily detected,because anyfurther operation of the system either for signalingor for telegraphiccommunication, will be prevented until the defect is remedied.

AMorse sounder or other receiving instrument L, through whichcommunications from station 0 are received by the operator at station B,is placed in that portion of the branch or loop is which is connectedwith the contact '11, but not in circuit with the contact 11 of switchI. The contact 4) of said switch is connected by a wire on with apivoted hook or arm m, constituting part of a circuit breaker M, whichcomprises a contact m connected by a wire m with the movable part of aswitch N and ultimately through one of the contacts '11 or n of saidswitch with the contact 2' of switch I, the contact '21 being connecteddirectly with said contact 11 and the contact at with the correspondingcontact i of a switch I, provided for use in connection with station A.These two contacts 2' i are in turn connected by wires 0 and 0 with thekey and fixed contact of an ordinary telegraphic transmitter O or withany instrument suitable for the transmission of signals or informationelectrically from one station or point to another. The transmitter O isprovided in the usual manner with a switch 0 by which the main line orcircuit is normally connected with the ground or closed when thetransmitter is not in use. At terminal stations where but one set ofinstruments is required, the switch N is dispensed with, the wire mwhich has a ground connection on is connected directly with contact 2,and the transmitter O is placed in connection with said wire between theground m and the contact i At intermediate stations where two sets ofinstruments are required, one for use in each direction, the switch Nenables us to utilize a single key or transmitter O and a single groundm for both sets of instruments, but even here it may be dispensed withby duplicating the transmitting instruments and ground connectionsarranged and connected as at terminal stations.

P represents a rod or catch pivoted to or connected with the polechanging switch I, and arranged when said switch is turned intoengagement with its contacts "5 and t to engage with a weighted arm ordetent p, and when said switch is restored to normal position, as shown,in engagement with its con tacts t" and i to turn said detent intoengagement with the hook m, thereby lifting it away from the contact mdisconnecting the ground m from the contact 2' of the pole-changingswitch I, and depriving the polarized magnet G at O of the only groundconnection that can be made for it at B for a reversed current. Thedetent 19 thus holds the arm m of the circuit breaker M out ofengagement with the contact m until it is released as hereinafterexplained. To the catch P and arm m (which may be placed side by side,but for convenience of illustration are shown one above the other) areattached armatures of an electro-magnet Q, the coils of which areconnected by wires q q with the rails r 'r of an insulated section B oftrack a. The insulated rails or track sections are made of sufficientlength to span the greatest distance between consecutive trucks of anytrain, so that the track circuit will be kept constantly closed byapassing train until it is cleared by the last truck. I

In place of the insulated track section R or track circuit, a trackinstrument of any suitable or well known construction may be employed tocontrol the circuit in which the magnet Q is placed.

For use on railways over which trains pass in both directions on asingle track, two insulated track sections or track instruments arerequired at each intermediate station, but they must be so constructedor arranged that the magnet Q controlled by either section or instrumentwill be afiected by trains passing in one direction only.

The circuit q q is provided with a battery S or may be connected with,and supplied with current by, the main battery J.

Instruments and apparatus constructed, arranged and connectedcorrespondingly with those hereinbefore described are provided atstation E for operation in connection with station A, and are designatedby corresponding reference letters D, E, F, 850.

Station A is shown equipped with a single set of instruments arrangedlike those at the right at station B, and station 0, with a single setof instruments arranged like those at the left at station E, and aredesignated by like letters of reference. If stations A and C wereintermediate stations controlling blocks or sections of track in bothdirections, they would obviously be provided with duplicate sets ofinstruments; but if they were terminals of a block system they wouldeach be provided with a single set of instruments as v the contacts 41shown, except that the switches N would be dispensed with, the wires mconnected directly with the contacts 2' of thepole changing switches I Iand the transmitters O placed in/ the circuits m m between the grounds mand Adjacent stations are connected by single wires T T through. themovable arms or parts of switches H H.

The switches H H andI I are automatically restored to their normalpositions when released by the operators, by springs, as shown, or by any other suitable means. Their contacts are preferably inclosed so'as torender them inaccessible and thereby prevent unauthorized or accidentalconnection thereof or interference with the circuits which they control.

The operation of our improved apparatus may be explained as follows: Itwill be understood that in the case of a double track railway such asshown, trains will be run in a single direction only on either track,and for the purpose of illustration we will assume that trains run tothe left or westward on track a, and to the right or eastward on track1), as indicated by arrowsv on Fig. 1, and that the semaphore arms D Dgovernthe movement of east bound trains, and the semaphore arms D D, themovement of West bound trains. Suppose now, the signals and instrumentsbeing in their normal positions as shown, that an east bound trainapproaches station A, and wishesto enter the block between AandB. Theoperator at A calls up the operator at B and asks him to unlock thesignal at A for a train going east. Track I) between A and B beingclear, B informs A that he will release his signal. These communicationsare transmitted through the circuit beginning at A with the ground mpassing thence through wire m switch N, wire 0, transmitter 0, wire 0,switch I, battery J, again through switch I, sounder L, loop is,including circuit breaker K (which is normally closed), switch H, thenceby main line wire T to switch H at station B, through said switch, loop'Io, Bs sounder L, switch I, battery'J, again through switch I, switch Nand wire m to ground m at B. They are sent by the instruments 0 O andreceived by the instruments L L. To send a message to A it is necessaryfor B to turn the arm of his switch Ninto engagement with the contact atin order to bring his transmitter 0 into the circuit just traced. A thenturns the arm of his switch H into engagement with the contact hwhichcuts out both his transmitting and receiving instrumentsand brings intocircuit with the main line the coils of his polarized relay G, thecircuit being completed thence to ground through wire g B shifts hispole-changing switch 1 into engagement with contacts 1' '6 therebychanging the direction of current by a reversal of the connections ofthe poles of his-batteryJ with the main line, the circuit at B being nowmade from ground m through wires m3 m circuit breaker M ,wire m, switchI, battery J, again through switch 1, loop is, including the circuitbreaker K, and switch H to main line T. The current thus reversed shiftsthe movable part g of As polarized relay into engagement with contact g,closing the local circuit f through battery J and energizing magnet f,which draws the detent f 2 out of engagement with the toothed bar e (seeFig. 3) and thus releases As signal operating lever E. A now throws hislever over, dropping his semaphore arm or signal D to clear and therebypermits the train to pass into the block between A and B. If A shouldnow undertake to communicate with B, or B with A, before As lever andsignal were restored to danger position, it could not be done, becausethe only circuit through which communication can be had between the twostations is broken at A by the circuit breaker K so long as the saidsignal remains in its clear position. A is thus compelled to return hissignal to danger position before communication can be again establishedwith B. This affords an unfailing reminder to operators to restore theirsignals to danger immediately or soon after they have been placed atclear, because the entrance of trains into the blocks for which thesignals have been cleared, is required to be immediately reported to theoperators at the other ends of such blocks. The restoration of signalsto danger may, however, be effected automatically by the passage oftrains into the blocks for which they have been cleared, and thus avoidabsolutely the possibility of neglect on the part of operators to returntheirsignals to danger. When B releases his pole-changing switch I, itis automatically restored to its normal position on con-- tacts i audiand the current passes'again in its original or normal direction throughthe main line T to A, and, if As switch H has not already been returnedto contact 72-, shifts the movable contact g back out of engagement withthe fixed contact g, breaking the circuit f, de-energizing magnetf andreleasing the detent or catch f which drops into engagement with, orinto position to engage, the toothed bar 6 pivoted to lever E. (See Fig.3.) As signal D is thus automatically locked in danger position, ifalready in that position, or whenever it is restored to it, and cannotbe cleared until it is again released by B in the manner hereinbeforeexplained. The polarized magnets or relays are made or adjusted so thatwhen no current passes through their coils their permanent magnetismwill attract and hold the movable contacts g out of engagement'with thefixed contacts g, and a direct current or current of the direction orsense employed to operate the transmitting and receiving instrumentswill also tend to separate said contacts. 0onsequently, if As switch His returned to normal position before Bs pole-changing switch- I isrestored .to normal position, the circuit f at A will be opened by thepermanent magnet of the polarized relay G, but it will not be closed bysimply placing said switch H on the contact h without the reversal ofthe ourrent through the main line by said pole changing switch I at B.

It will be observed from the foregoing explanation that the coils of thepolarized magnets or relays G G being normally cut out of the maincircuits to maintain the required communication between the severalstations, lightning, which is liable to strike and follow the main wiresT T, is prevented from burning out or injuring the instruments and fromaccidentally releasing the signals.

hen B shifts his switch I to reverse the current over the main line Tfor releasing As signal, the catch P engages with the detent p and assoon as said switch is released, causes said detent to move and hold thearm on out of engagement with the contact m thereby disconnecting theground m from the contact t' of his pole-changing switch I, anddepriving the polarized relay G at A of the only ground connection itcan have at B. The arm m is thus held out of engagement with saidcontact m independently of said switch I and catch P until it isreleased by the passage of the train on track I) outof the block betweenA and B into the block between B and O. The first truck or pair ofwheels of said train, passing upon the insulated section R of track Z)at B, closes the circuit q q, and energizing magnet Q, causes it to drawboth the arm m and catch P out of engagement with the detent p, Whichbeing thus released is moved by gravity, a spring or other means, intonormal position. The arm m is however, held away from the contact m bythe magnet Q as long as the circuit q q remains closed or until the lastpair of truck wheels clears the insulated track section.

By means of the devices just described, an operator at any station isabsolutely prevented from again releasing the signal at the opposite endof the block until the train for which said signal has been previouslyreleased has passed out of said block and cleared the insulated tracksection at that station from which the signal was originally released.Furthermore, in the operation of single track railways, the wires g g inthat case being connected with the contacts t' i of the polechangingswitches, and thence through the circuit breakers M M with the grounds mm, when an operator reverses the current at any station to release asignal at another station, and allows a train to enter the interveningblock, he is prevented not only from releasing that signal for anothertrain passing in the same direction, but also from operating or clearinghis own signal for a train passing in the opposite direction until thefirst train has passed out of said block. For instance, assuming I) torepresent a single track railway over which trains pass in bothdirections, and that 'B has released As signal as hereinbefore explainedfor an east bound train, 13 is not only prevented from releasing Assignal again, as stated, but he is also prevented from clearing his ownsignal D for a West bound train until the east bound train has passedout of the intervening block, because the polarized relay G' whichcontrols the operation of his signal is deprived of its groundconnection m and any attempt on the part of A to reverse the current bymeans of his pole-changing switch I would for that reason beinefiectual.

To permit of the passage of the train from B into the block between Band O, the operations hereinbetore explained are repeated, thusrendering it absolutely impossible for a train to enter a block whileanother train is in that block, unless engineer or trainmen disobeypositive orders and disregard signals. Even this contingency can beguarded against by providing derailing switches at each station inconnection with the signals D D and their operating levers E E, so thatwhen sig nals are placed at danger the switches will necessarily beopen.

The polarized magnets G G may be constructed and arranged to operatedirectly upon the locking devices F F. We prefer, however, to employspecial releasing magnets f f for that purpose, as shown. We are thusenabled to eliminate the resistance of the main line circuits, thusutilizing the entire strength of the batteries J J for releasing thesignals and rendering a comparatively weak current such as is ordinarilyused for telegraphic purposes, sufficient for communication betweenstations, and for the operation of the polarized relays.

By the term train circuit as employedin the claims, we mean to designateany electric circuit which is arranged to be opened or closed by apassing train, whether through the medium of an insulated track section,track instrument or other means.

By means of such variations in details as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art to which our invention pertains, the apparatusherein shown and described may be adapted for use with either normallyopen or closed circuits or with both, as shown, it being feasible tosubstitute normally open circuits for such as are shown as normallyclosed and vice versa.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement of thevarious component parts of the apparatus may be made within the intendedscope and spirit of our invention.

We claim- 1. In block-signal apparatus the combination with a main lineor circuit connecting stations, of a signal, an electrically controlledsignal-locking device, a polarized magnet controlling the operation ofsaid signal and constructed and arranged to positively shift itsarmature in opposite directions when energized by currents of oppositepolarity, and to IIO return said armature to its normal position whenthe main circuit is broken and a polechanging switch arranged to reversethe current through the coils of said polarized magnet, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

2. In block-signal apparatus the combination with a main line or circuitconnecting stations, each of which is provided with a suitable signal,of a locking device for each signal, a polarized magnet controlling eachlocking device, and constructed and arranged to positively shift itsarmature in opposite directions when energized by currents of oppositepolarity, and to return said armature to its normal position when themain circuit is broken and a polc-chan gin g switch at each stationarranged to reverse the current through the main line and the coilsofthe polarized magnet of another station, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. In block-signal apparatus, the combination with a main line orcircuit connecting stations each provided with a suitable signal, andwith electrical transmitting and receiving instruments, ofsignal-locking devices, polarized magnets controlling said lockingdevices, switches arranged to connect and disconnect either thepolarized magnet or the transmitting and receiving instruments of eachstation with the main line, and polechanging switches each arranged toreverse the current through the coils of the polarized magnet of anotherstation, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In block-signal apparatus the combination with a main line or circuitconnecting stations each provided with a suitable signal and withelectrical transmitting and receiving instruments, of signal-lockingdevices, polarized magnets controlling said locking devices, andpole-changing switches each arranged to reverse the current through thepolarized magnet of another station, and to simultaneously cut out ofcircuit the transmitting and receiving instruments of the station wherethat pole-changing switch is located, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. In block-signal apparatus, the combination with a main line orcircuit connecting stations, of a signal, a polarized magnet controllingthe operation of said signal, a polechanging switch located at anotherstation and arranged to reverse the current through the main line, and adevice arranged to control the circuit through the coils of saidpolarized magnet, and to be operated by said pole-changing switch,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In block-signal apparatus, the combination of a main line or circuitconnecting two stations, one of which is provided with a signal andpolarized magnet controlling the operation of said signal, and the otherwith a pole-changing switch, of a device arranged to control the circuitof said polarized magnet and to be shifted to abnormal position by saidpole-changing switch, and a train circuit arranged to effect or permitthe restoration of said circuit controlling device to normal position,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

- 7. In block-signal apparatus, the combina tion with a main line orcircuit connecting distant stations, one of which is provided with asignal and a polarized magnet controlling the operation of said signal,and the other with a pole-changing switch, of a circuit controllingdevice arranged to be shifted into abnormal position by said switch, andin such position to render said magnet inoperative, a train circuitarranged to effect or permit the restoration of said circuit controllingdevice to normal position, and a detent arranged to hold said circuitcontrolling device in abnormal position and to be disengaged by saidtrain circuit, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

8. In block-signal apparatus, the combination of a main circuitconnecting two stations, one of which is provided with a signal and apolarized magnet controlling the operation of said signal, and theother, with a pole-changing switch, of a circuit breaker arranged to beopened by the operation of said switch, and a train circuit arranged toclose said circuit, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In block-signal apparatus, the combination with a main circuitconnecting the termini of a block, of a signal, a locking devicecontrolling the operation of said signal, a local circuit provided withan electro-magnet arranged to unlock said signal, a polarized relaycontrolling said local circuit, and constructed and arranged topositively shift its armature in opposite directions when energized bycurrentsof opposite polarity, and to automatically return said armatureto its nor mal position when the main circuit is broken and apole-changing switch arranged to reverse the current of the main circuitthrough the coils of said polarized relay, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

10. In block-signal apparatus, the combination of main lines or circuitsconnecting stations, each provided with signals and transmitting andreceiving instruments, of electrically controlled locking devicesgoverning the operation of said signals, and a switch at eachintermediate station arranged to connect the transmitting instrument ofthat station with the main line leading to the next station in eitherdirection, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In block signal apparatus, the combination with a main line orcircuit connecting distant stations each of which is provided with abattery and a suitable signal, of a locking device for each signalcomprising an unlocking magnet in a local circuit with the main linebattery, a polarized relay controlling said local circuit, and arrangedto positively shift its armature in opposite directions when onergizedby currents of opposite polarity and the polarized relay of the distantstation and unlocking the signal of the local station, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own we atlix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

URIAS J. FRY. GEORGE M. BASFORD.

\Vitnesses:

H. M. SPERRY, LAURA S. RABB.

